Leahy and Grassini to be inducted to NJCAA Hall of Fame!

11.07.17

Katie Leahy

Warwick, R.I. – November 7, 2017: The 2017 NJCAA Women's Soccer Coaches Association
Hall of Fame inductees were announced on Monday afternoon. This year's class features
two former members of the CCRI Lady Knights’ Women’s Soccer Program: Katie (Leahy) Major (Warwick, RI) a former standout and All-American at CCRI and recently retired CCRI
Head Coach Dennis Grassini (Warwick, RI).

Katie (Leahy) Major, a former two time All-American lead the country in scoring in 2002 with 54 goals
helping to guide the CCRI Lady Knights to an undefeated season (22-0-0) winning the
first and only National Championship title in the history of CCRI Athletics. She garnered
numerous awards including NSCAA and NJCAA All-American honors in 2002 and 2003 as
well as many other awards such as the Words Unlimited Female Athlete of the year.
She was the NJCAA national tournament offensive MVP in both 2002 and 2003. Leahy holds the all-time goal scoring record registering 94 goals in 43 career games CCRI.
She was recruited and transferred to Arizona State University and later completed
her soccer career and education at Sacred Heart University in Connecticut.

Dennis Grassini

Dennis Grassini of Warwick, was the Head Coach of the CCRI Women’s soccer program from 2000-2016
compiling a win/loss record of 226-64-11 along with Associate Head Coach Kathy Bannan, also of Warwick, leading the Lady Knights to the National Tournament finals in
both 2002 and 2003. He was named National Coach of the Year in 2002 as well as the
Words Unlimited Female sports Coach of the Year in 2002, 2003, and 2009. In 2009,
the program again reached the Elite 8 and participated in the NJCAA National Tournament.
Under his tenure, the women’s soccer program reached national prominence producing
over a 100 All-N.E. Region players and 32 All-American’s. In 1994, Grassini helped get the women’s soccer program off the ground serving as the assistance coach
through 1999. He was appointed to the head coaching position in 2000 and retired from
coaching this past December after the 2016 season. Grassini commented on earning induction: “I am humbled by this honor. As a coach you do not
get any awards without having the players and tools to do so. I was very fortunate
to have both. I am also very happy to be put in with Katie who was a huge part of
why we won the National championship in her first year and returned to the finals
in her second year.”

Leahy and Grassini will be inducted at this year’s NJCAA National tournament in Melbourne, Florida on
November 12th.

Grassini and Leahy

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The Community College of Rhode Island, New England’s largest comprehensive community
college, enrolls nearly 16,000 students in credit courses and thousands more in non-credit
and job training classes. Its athletic program boasts 12 varsity programs and an academic
support program for all student-athletes.